3/26 This is Chapter 1 of Xander's Truth. I don't know how Ch 2 put here instead. Maybe when I uploaded chapter 3 something went wonky.
Author's Note: This story takes place after Joyce death, after Spike is chipped; Anya is around but never got heavily involved with Xander. Willow is with Tara-no darkness at this time. Xander's around 20-21 years old…the season you put it in doesn't really matter right now. If that changes I'll make amendments to the story, ok?
"So, we're all agreed? Spike will stay at Xander's till his crypt is 'livable' again." Buffy was speaking to the Scoobies, who were gathered at the Magick Box for an impromptu meeting. Spike's crypt had been torn apart by the latest group of demons that tried to take over the Hellmouth. It was by some strange twist of fate that the Slayer had met up with several of them outside of Spike's place.
Buffy felt a little guilty because she had ended up throwing the demons around inside of the crypt and who was to know that they could throw balls of lightening around? She apologized to Spike and promised him that she'd find him a place to stay. Of course, he had a fit about that and went storming off saying, "I don't need no help from the bleeding Slayer." The vampire hadn't shown at the beginning of the meeting, so after several arguments, Buffy made the decision.
Xander wasn't really happy about it, but he was too tired to fight anymore. It had been a long day-gone to work at 6 in the morning, been home for only two hours when Willow called about everyone needed to gather at the store. He stood up from the chair slowly not wanting to aggravate his aching body. "Hey guys. I'm heading home." That got the group's attention and he continued, "If Fangless shows, tell him to be quiet when he comes by." Buffy and Willow responded at the same time, "Sure." And "Why?" respectively. "I need my beauty rest Will-you know that." The joke worked, Willow was still smiling as he headed out the door.
Xander woke to the not so quiet pounding of a fist against his basement door. "Shit. Couldn't he listen for once?" The brunette rolled out of bed, wincing with each movement and approached the door. He opened it only to almost get a fist in the face.
"Oi, whelp. What took so long?" Spike entered without an invite-Willow hadn't been around to do the de-invite spell yet. "Spike, shut up. It's three in the morning and I have to be up at five. I'll make it simple for you. There are only two rules you have to follow when you're here. Rule One-you make no or as little noise as possible. Rule Two-you never ever go upstairs." Xander shuffled back to his bed and Spike calmly headed to "his" chair. "And if I don't?" "Then you'll be chained to a lamppost and left outside to burn when the sun rises." Xan crawled under the covers and was asleep within minutes.
Spike sat in the lumpy chair, thinking over the night's events. He had been out getting some blood and smokes and upon returning to his crypt, he had found Buffy fighting three Galegi demons. He had tried to get them to move to a different part of the cemetery but was unsuccessful. Buffy and him had ended up taking two of the demons down but not before the damage had been done. He had been surprised by her apology but hoped it meant that she was growing up. God knows that Dawn needs a good role now that Joyce is gone.
Then she offered to find him a place to stay and not wanting to look weak-he stormed off. But he knew that he'd find her later to see what she had come up with. He had swung by the Magick Box just as Willow was leaving and had been told that he could stay at Xander's. Of course, he argued the decision-"why can't I stay at your place?" with Buffy for a good hour. He agreed when Buffy told him that he could watch out for Dawn anytime she was out at night. They both left for their respective (current) abodes then.
He had gotten distracted on the way there by a group of fledglings mucking about and spent some time torturing the vamps before dusting them. He was still Spike after all-had a rep to maintain. Being a bit hyped up from the encounter when he arrived at Xander's, he forgot all about the request that he be quiet. So when the boy opened the door and the strong scent of fear poured out, he could only think of a rather crappy remark. He entered the basement and looked around to see if there was something that would induce the fear he smelled on Xan but nothing struck him as odd.
He knew the boy-man wasn't afraid of him, but the scent didn't fade right away. He was then caught off guard by Xander's forcefulness when it came to the "rules". It wasn't even the threat that had him comply-just the fire he had seen in the chocolate eyes. Spike was curious as to why he was told never to go upstairs, however he was willing to chalk it up to the parents and Xander not wanting to expose them to the truth about Sunnydale, at least for now. So he ended up in the most uncomfortable chair he'd ever known-thinking.
Spike looked at the clock-four a.m. He wouldn't be truly tired until the sun rose. He settled on watching the 20yr old young man who looked even on edge in his sleep. The blonde wondered how no one else saw through Xander's jokes and his "I'm never at home and always helping someone to fill my time" protective walls. Spike knew that Xander was hiding something and had been hiding for years. He wasn't close enough to him to get the brunette to confide in him yet but Spike had a plan. For all the verbal sparring he did, he respected Xander's strength to keep going when things got really tough and he felt drawn to protect him.
For now, he got as comfortable as possible in the chair and watched Xan sleep. Later someone might have said that Spike jumped when the alarm clock went off but luckily no one was there to see it. After all, a Master Vampire never is startled by sudden noises. At the movement of Xander's arm, Spike readjusted himself in the chair and closed his eyes. It wouldn't do to have him know that Spike had been watching the youth. Through his hearing and sense of smell, he could keep track of what Xander was doing. He heard the rustling of clothing being removed from the dryer (due to the metallic clang and smell of fabric softener sheets) and heard Xander's slow movements to the bathroom.
He heard the water turn on in the shower and taking a deep breath could smell the soap being used. The shower ran for a good 15 minutes and when Spike heard the door open again he could smell the steam, the fresh scent of a clean body, and is that what I think it is?-fresh blood. For a second, he wondered about the blood but then realized that the whelp must have cut himself shaving. He heard Xander's slow movement across the floor once more.
"Why is he moving so slowly? Did he get hurt on patrol the other night?" Spike shook off the feeling of unease and told himself that Xander wasn't a morning person. Who would want to get up at five in the morning anyway? Soon the soft click of the basement door let him know that Xander had left for the day. He was just beginning to get really tired and deciding he didn't want to spend anymore time in the chair from hell; he got up and crawled under the covers of Xander's bed. Spike told himself the lingering Xander smell didn't make him want to smile as he faded into sleep.
So, hopefully everything is where it should be. Thanks to my reviewers who let me know that this chapter was missing. I wouldn't have checked for problems until next week sometime.